Priceline.com had revenues in the 3rd quarter of $730.7 million, a 30.1% increase over a year ago. The Company’s international operations contributed revenues in the 3rd quarter of $316.9 million, a 41.7% increase versus a year ago (approximately 50% on a local currency basis). Priceline.com’s gross profit for the 3rd quarter was $434.0 million, a 37.3% increase from the prior year. The Company’s international operations contributed gross profit in the 3rd quarter of $316.0 million, a 42.0% increase versus a year ago (approximately 50% growth on a local currency basis). The Company’s operating income in 3rd quarter 2009 was $200.8 million, a 56.9% increase from the prior year. Priceline.com had GAAP net income for the 3rd quarter of $319.0 million or $6.42 per diluted share, which compares to $84.5 million or $1.74 per diluted share in the same period a year ago. GAAP net income for the 3rd quarter 2009 was positively affected by a $181.9 million non-cash tax benefit from reversing a portion of the valuation allowance related to the Company’s net operating loss carry forwards. The valuation allowance was reversed to reflect the amount of deferred tax asset that is estimated to be more likely than not to be realized after taking into consideration current operating results and future estimated domestic taxable income.
Pro forma EBITDA for the 3rd quarter 2009 was $224.6 million, an increase of 47.3% over a year ago. Pro forma net income in the 3rd quarter was $173.3 million or $3.45 per diluted share, compared to $2.39 per share a year ago. First Call analyst consensus for the 3rd quarter 2009 was $2.90 per diluted share. The section below entitled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” provides a definition and information about the use of pro forma financial measures in this press release and the attached financial and statistical supplement reconciles pro forma financial information with priceline.com’s financial results under GAAP.
“Despite a difficult economic environment, the summer travel season turned out to be an exceptionally strong one for priceline.com, as 3rd quarter growth rates accelerated sequentially for our international and domestic businesses,” said priceline.com President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffery H. Boyd. “On a global basis, priceline.com continued to increase its market share as hotel room night reservations grew by 56% in the 3rd quarter, propelled by strong performance in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Internationally, our hotel business experienced gross travel bookings growth of 38%, or approximately 49% on a local currency basis, as we reaped the benefits of outstanding hotel supply, geographic expansion in high-opportunity markets and continued shift by consumers to on-line booking of hotel reservations. Our U.S. business grew gross travel bookings by 25% as consumers continue to respond positively to our money-saving travel services. Airline ticket sales were up 30.2%, despite the fact that competitors’ matching fee eliminations were in place for the entire quarter. Rental car days booked increased 11.6%.”
“The online travel industry achieved improved year-over-year growth in the third quarter as we comped against weakening demand in the prior-year period and received a boost from industry-wide fee reductions and supplier discounting and promotions.” Mr. Boyd continued, “Priceline.com intends to continue to focus on building out our global brands and hotel platform, adding additional supply, integration initiatives and innovation to support the long-term growth of the business.”
Priceline.com said it was targeting the following for 4th quarter 2009:
Year-over-year increase in total gross travel bookings of approximately 30% - 40%.
Year-over-year increase in international gross travel bookings of approximately 50% - 60% (an increase of approximately 37% - 46% on a local currency basis).
Year-over-year increase in domestic gross travel bookings of approximately 15%.
Year-over-year increase in revenue of approximately 24% to 28%.
Year-over-year increase in gross profit of approximately 40% to 45%.
Pro forma EBITDA of approximately $98 million to $108 million.
Pro forma net income of between $1.52 and $1.62 per diluted share.
About Priceline.com® Incorporated
Priceline.com Incorporated (Nasdaq: PCLN - News) www.priceline.com provides online travel services in 29 languages in 78 countries in Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Included in the priceline.com family of companies is Booking.com, a leading international online hotel reservation service, priceline.com, a leading U.S. online travel service for value-conscious leisure travelers, and Agoda.com, an Asian online hotel reservation service. Priceline.com believes that Booking.com is Europe’s largest and fastest growing hotel reservation service, with a network of affiliated Web sites. Booking.com operates in over 70 countries in 24 languages and offers its customers access to over 71,000 participating hotels worldwide.
In the U.S., priceline.com gives customers more ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises than any other Internet travel service. In addition to getting great published prices, leisure travelers can narrow their searches using priceline.com’s TripFilter advanced search technology, customize their search activity through priceline.com’s Inside Track features, create packages to save even more money, and take advantage of priceline.com’s famous Name Your Own Price® service, which can deliver the lowest prices available.
Priceline.com operates the following travel websites: Travelweb.com, Lowestfare.com, RentalCars.com and BreezeNet.com. Priceline.com also licenses its business model to independent licensees.
